4 Ways to Reengage Your Bored Facebook Following

The savviest of Facebook marketers all have one very important thing in common.

It’s not strategic. It’s certainly not tactical. Most of all, it’s not serendipitous.

The best Facebook marketers all do one thing remarkably well; they act like humans. They understand why people are using the platform, and more importantly, they create native content aligned with those motives to drive engagement.

Many brands, however, simply treat Facebook as a cheaper alternative to print advertising. They utilize it as a broadcast medium, only to find they’ve essentially rocked their following to sleep after months or even years of ineffective messaging.

Worst of all, these brands end up denouncing the platform as ineffective, when in reality, it was their strategy that needed fixing.

In order to truly re-engage a bored following, you first need to get a little introspective. Ask yourself, “what is my reason for logging into Facebook every day?”

Chances are, it’s not to find the latest blog post or marketing message from the brands you follow. In fact, most probably aren’t of the mindset to make a purchase upon first logging in.

More than likely, your reason for logging into Facebook is “to see what the people I’m close with are up to.”

This differs greatly from every other social network, as Facebook users tend to have a much more personal agenda when scrolling through their news feeds. Posting content that strays too far from this agenda will not only bore your followers but also result in the dreaded “unfollow.” Here are four ways to re-engage your bored followers.

1. Don’t Oversell

If you don’t log into Facebook with ideas of purchasing products, why would your followers?

Successful social media is about drinking your own Kool-Aid. Rather than filling your followers’ news feeds with a barrage of marketing messages, ease the foot off the gas and focus more on building equity with your fans.

More than ever, consumers buy from brands they believe in, ones who seem confident enough in their own product and respect the consumer enough to let them make the decision themselves.

We’ve all strolled past the annoying cell phone kiosk at the mall, where salesmen shout their pitches at you like a homeowners auction. Is your Facebook page doing something similar?

2. Keep it Visual

Think of how quickly you scroll through your news feed. You scroll and scroll, and scroll some more…looking for what?

You’re not really sure. But that “what” is whatever catches your eye. That moment where your thumb stops on an eye-catching image is immeasurable for brands. If your image is engaging enough, this could even result in a “like” or “share,” which drives even more eyeballs to your company page.

Attention is the most valuable commodity a brand seeks on social media. And while some light text is what delivers the context, it often doesn’t stop thumb scrolling.

It’s the stunning visuals that stop thumbs.

3. Relate to Your Audience

Remember that hilarious episode of “How I Met Your Mother” that you couldn’t wait to reference with your friends or anyone at the office who also enjoys the show?

Well…your followers behave in a similar fashion with any of their connections. Not just their friends. It’s the beauty of social media.

“But…talking about pop culture doesn’t sell products.”

You’re right. But it does sell your brand. Being relatable is critical in an era where consumers have literally thousands of options thrown at them through various channels all day. How could they possibly remember yours?

But that brand that gets them? The one who enjoys the same things they do? The brand that’s both brave and human enough to make these connections?

Those are the ones they remember.

4. Think People, Not Products

People buy from humans, do they not?

Then why do so many brands hide the humans behind the curtain? You talk enough about your product or service on your website, why not introduce the human element behind the brand in order to increase engagement?

Which are you more likely to share, an image pushing a brands newest product? Or an image of a smiling employee showing off their quirky desk space? (Hey! I have that same coffee mug!)

“Relatability” is driver for sharing and connecting. Coffee mug or not, it’s powerful.

It’s all about being human and relatable. And more often than not, it’s the absence of both that leads to a bored, uninspired Facebook following.

But all is never lost. The opportunities to both relate and engage with your followers are happening all around your desk and every day life.

It’s up to you to recognize them.

This is a guest post by John Bonini (@Bonini84), marketing director at IMPACT. Visit the IMPACT Blog for more content from John and the agency.